Life-saving apparatus for ships.



Nn. 650,729. Patented May 29, |900. G. F. PARRATT.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS.

(Application led Dec. 28, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

THE Nowms paens to, pumaumo.. wAsHmnmN, n. n.

No. 650,729. Patented may 29, |900. a. F. PARRATT.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS.

(Application led vDec. 2S, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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chosen rnnDnRioK PABRATnoF LONDON, ENGLAND.

LlF-SAVING AFFR'ATUS FOR SHIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,729, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed December 28, 1897. Serial No. 664,037. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t rita/y concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE FREDERICK PARRATT, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Apparatus for Ships, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 17,125, dated September 13, 1895,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a life-saving raft formed of detachable pontoons, as hereinafter described. v

For my purpose I make seats in the shape of pontoons or long boxes yfinished at each end into a boat shape. These seats I furnish with bulkheads, and I iit therein special cells or boXes which are kept in position under the decks or tops of the seats. The backs of the seats are so constructed as to permit of rowlocks being tted at given distances, and at each end I have a piece hinged, taking the same height as the back of the seat and of sufficient length to cross the combined pontoons, this piece folding back when the pontoon is used as a seat.

For every pair of seats that are made in accordance with the above description I have one pontoon, constructed with a well running fore and aft, with a deck level with the Water-line, and having holes leading outward to allow of any water that may be shipped into the well running out again. nder this deck I have my water-tight tanks, and at each end I have water-tight lockers for stowing' provisions, signals, dac. For the purpose of attaching these pontoons or seats together, so as to forni a raft, I have two braces-one at each endheld in the middle by bolt and screw-nut and at the ends by keepers and self-locking gear. Also, if necessary, on aci count of length, I have a similar brace across the center, so that when the three pontoons or seats are put together, and the perforated boards or flaps on the outer pontoons are resting on each side of the center pontoons, and the two hinged pieces which are attached to each end of the backs of the two outer pontoons are fixed in position, thus forming a bulwark, the raft is complete. The center pontoon can be fitted with spars for sailing.

'when fastened together.

`It' necessary, -lthe three pontoons can be kept together ready and stowed on the upper shade-deck or on special cross-beams, or they could be slung from chains atv each end onto suitable davits or be l so placed ,that they would float off should the ship sink. y

The accompanying drawings show the manner in which I propose to construct my improved life-saving apparatus.

Figure 1 shows a plan of the three pontoons i Fig. 2 is a plan of the center pontoon alone, with its braces'revolved into a line parallel with the length of the pontoon. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the outside pontoons. Fig. 4t is a View in elevation, on a larger scale, of one yof the connecting-braces. Fig. 5 isa cross-section, on a larger scale, on line 5 5 of Fig. l.

The center pontoon Ahas a holdB, with watertight compartments below the ioorline, as shown in cross section in Fig. 5. Above the door a there are scupper-holes W, which are just above the water-line, so as to permit of any water which may be shipped into this well ruiming out freely. At the end are lockers C and D in Fig. 1 for provisions,water, dac. In this center pontoon A are thwarts E, with rings for masts.

H and I are the braces, which are attached to the center pontoon A by means of'a locking arrangement. These braces are pivoted and when in position screwed up by means of a nut or ring, as shown at P in Fig. 3. Two braces, one at each end, will generally be found suflicient. Each brace H or I is made, preferably, of three parts h 72, h2, bolted together by bolts z', as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The center part 7?, has in its center a hole e', through which the screwthreaded bolt 2 loosely passes. The nut P screws upon the bolt e2, and when screwed upward, as in Fig. 5, permits the brace to be lifted and placed longitudinally on the pontoon. Through the sides of the well of the pontoon A, between the end parts which carry the braces, are passed the screw-threaded bolts R R', projecting from and supporting the door plates or flaps R R, which are hinged fore and aft on the inner side of the two outside pontoons J and K, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5. R2 are nuts therefor. Each flap It carries apro@ jecting shelf V, with holes `v, supporting the iiaps X, hinged to sides of center pontoon and serving as seats. fv are holes in iiaps R R.

The braces 1I and I are of sufficient length to fasten into keepers N, Figs. 1,3, and 5,

' which are on the two outside pontoons J and K. At the end of these braces I have catches, as shown on enlarged scale in Fig. 4 at L L, these catches being kept in position by means of springs M M, so that when the braces pass into the keepers N and the latter move over thecatches they are self-locked, thus fastening the three pontoons J, A, and K together, with the flaps R R illing up the intermediate Vspace between the pontoons, these resting on the sides of the pontoon A. The two outer-pontoons J and K are decked over and are itted also with water-tight com partlnent-s or cells.

At the bottom of the pontoons, on the outside, I have rods, as shown at O in Figs. 3 and 5, running fore and aft, so that should the raft turn over people thrown into the water are enabled to hold onto these rods, which also form keels. On the two outside pontoons J and K, Ihave abulwark S, (shown in Fig. 3,) whichis hinged and is fitted with rowlocks 'l for rowing, these bulwarks when the pontoons are separate and used as seats forming the back of the seat. At the ends of each of the outside pontoons I have hinged pieces U, which fold over when the pontoons are together and form the end bulwarks, being fastened at the ends by ropes U2, thus helping to strengthen the connection of the three pontoons.

The pontoons are preferably made with double skins of wood, the outside planks c running diagonally and the inside planks d longitudinally. The air-tight cases f, fittedinto the pontoons, are made to shape in convenient lengths out of millboard or fiber-board covered with vulcanized rubber c.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of a pontoon A having braces I H revolubly attached thereon and adapted to be fixed in positions athwart said pontoon A, with two pontoons J, K, having keepers N for receiving the ends of said braces, and spring-catches to lock said braces in said keepers.

2. The combination of a pontoon Ahaving an airtight hold B and an open well above said hold and scuppers in the sides of said well, two decked pontoons J, K, each having a bulwark S along one side thereof, end flaps U and side aps R, cross-braces Il I and means for fixing said braces across the three pontoons so as to connect them together with intervals between them bridged by said flaps R substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in presence of two witnesses.

(l EORGE Fllll DE RICK lA It RA '1"1.

Witnesses:

E. BOWEN, CHAs. ROCHE. 

